


Seems You're the Only One Who Knows (What It's Like to Be Me)

by a_scared_and_lonely_rider



Category: Ghosts (TV 2019)
Genre: Cap and Humphrey have a nice little chat at the end of 2x06, Could be read as platonic or sort of romantic I suppose, Gen, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-02-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 22:13:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 921
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29196648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_scared_and_lonely_rider/pseuds/a_scared_and_lonely_rider
Summary: The Captain slowly turned to Humphrey, and looked at him wearily. “Are you going somewhere with this?”“Well, I just thought I could tell you about what I said to Fanny. I thought maybe you’d be interested in that.”___A little coda to episode 2x06
Relationships: The Captain & Humphrey (Ghosts TV 2019), The Captain/Humphrey (Ghosts TV 2019)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 59





	Seems You're the Only One Who Knows (What It's Like to Be Me)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure what this is? I haven't written in yeeeeeeears but I couldn't get this out of my head, so here we are.
> 
> I just think this dynamic could be really neat.
> 
> Not beta-read, any mistakes are mine.  
> I don't own these characters, just this conversation, I suppose.  
> Title from _I'll Be There for You_ by The Rembrandts.

As the party was coming to an end, the Captain stood proudly in the corner of the room. Another mission accomplished, he liked to think. The brides seemed overjoyed, the guests seemed happy (if not somewhat inebriated), and even most of the ghosts seemed to be rather enjoying themselves. 

“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Someone suddenly said beside him.

The Captain nearly jumped in the air. Just beside him, in the corner of the room, was Humphrey. While Fanny’s attempt to attach Humphrey’s head to his body had not lasted long, they had all taken turns trying. It was, after all, a special day. A day that celebrated love. And what could be more fitting than paying a little more attention to Humphrey on a day like this?

“Ah, Humphrey,” the Captain said, “it is nice, indeed.”

For a while they were both quiet, taking in the small crowd of wedding guests and ghosts. Humphrey’s eye fell on Fanny, at the opposite end of the room. 

“I had an interesting conversation with Fanny earlier today,” he began, priding himself on his casual tone. “She truly seems to have come around to the idea of this wedding.”

The Captain nodded, but kept quiet. The loud, energetic song that had invoked a lot of wild dance moves from the wedding guests slowly dissolved into something much slower and softer. An opportunity to dance with a partner, perhaps, but also an opportunity to talk to someone. And so, Humphrey tried again.

“I can imagine it can be difficult to get rid of one’s prejudices and attitudes. Especially for us as ghosts, seeing so many different eras, each with their own set of rules and taboos. It can get quite difficult to adapt one’s own set of beliefs to each new period. Seeing things you never imagined possible suddenly be accepted.”

The Captain slowly turned to Humphrey, and looked at him wearily. “Are you going somewhere with this?”

“Well, I just thought I could tell you about what I said to Fanny. I thought maybe you’d be interested in that.” 

The Captain looked at him in surprise. “Well, I can’t say it doesn’t intrigue me, Humphrey. She seemed to be rather adamant about how inappropriate and scandalous this wedding was, when the second bride arrived.”

Humphrey smiled. “Yes, she suddenly appeared in the room I happened to be laying in, seeming angry and unsettled. After listening to her for a while, I decided to tell her about my own rather disappointing experience with marriage, and how I wished I would have been allowed to marry for love instead.”

The Captain hummed understandingly. The concept of marriage had always seemed more like a duty than a desire to him. Perhaps that is why he never saw any reason to venture there. But seeing all the happy people before him celebrating the union between two women who seemed absolutely infatuated with each other had made him reconsider the whole business. It seemed that Humphrey had a similar understanding of the concept.

“I am sorry to hear that, Humphrey. I do wish that both of our respective days would have been more open to marriage as an expression of- well, you know.” He suddenly felt self-conscious. Here he was, standing beside the ghost of a man he usually did not converse with much, bringing up the notion of _true love_.

Humphrey, however, did not seem to notice his hesitance. Or, if he did notice, he was kind enough not to dwell on it. “Yes. Yes, I know,” was all he said. The sentiment was accompanied by a kind smile.

As the slow song came to an end and some of the guests started saying goodbye to each other, the Captain looked at Humphrey. There was something perceptive and wise about the other man. Something calming in his presence. He supposed it had always been there, he just hadn’t been paying enough attention to Humphrey until now. It was this realization that led to a desire to keep the conversation going.

“You know, I never married. Never really felt a desire to, I suppose.”

Humphrey looked at him. While the content of the statement did not exactly come as a surprise to him, he was stunned by the Captain’s newfound willingness to share such a personal piece of information with him.

“But seeing all this happiness today has offered me a different perspective on it, I think,” the Captain continued. “This ghost situation will probably always remain peculiar, but I am finding it rather joyous to experience the novel attitudes and opportunities this future brings.”

Humphrey nodded approvingly. 

As most guests were leaving, the dance floor was now mostly occupied by the inhabitants of Button House. Robin was still trying to figure out who was making the lights flicker. Kitty and Mary were dancing together happily. Pat, Julian, Fanny and Thomas were looking at Mike and Alison, who were still swaying to the music, completely lost in their own world. 

Yet, Humphrey and the Captain stayed where they were, in the corner of the room. In the comfortable silence between them, both made a mental note to seek the other’s company more often. The understanding between them had come as a bit of a surprise, but a welcome one.

It was the Captain who eventually broke their silence. “Say, Humphrey, would you perhaps care to join me for a new episode of my show about tanks tomorrow?”

Humphrey smiled. “I would be honoured. Pick me up whenever it starts. Literally.”


End file.
